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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24944821">sky above our heads, sand beneath our toes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/reonjeons/pseuds/reonjeons'>reonjeons</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Beaches, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Love Confessions, M/M, Somehow???, Walks On The Beach, literally wrote this in one sitting at 3 am</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:13:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,569</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24944821</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/reonjeons/pseuds/reonjeons</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jeno was never one with the sea, but Renjun was.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Huang Ren Jun/Lee Jeno</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>sky above our heads, sand beneath our toes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jeno was never one with the sea. He preferred indoors and sunlight shining through glass, soft beds rather than sand beneath his toes, movies rather than a view of a beautiful horizon, warm baths rather than the cold saltwater. His blankets gave him more comfort, and the windows in his room allowed him to look at the night sky before he slept. And he was very much content with that. The sea was fresh, they said, but to Jeno, his home was always his box. And he liked that box because he fits right in. </p><p>Jeno was never one with the sea, but Renjun was. </p><p>The boy could dance by the shore for hours, could bask in that sunlight for as long as his skin has to. Renjun’s hair could handle so much saltwater that even if it dries his scalp, it’ll still glow in another fresh color. The fishes would surround his ankles and he’d coo and talk to them with that sweet, summery voice. Renjun spreads his arms and gets himself wet in the sea. He’d get his toes deep into the wet sand and he’d smile—he’d smile oh so beautifully and let the breeze sift through his ever-changing locks of hair, and his eyes would burn in blue. He’d shine, and his honey-colored skin would glisten under the harsh beating of sunlight. Renjun would only bask in the heat. Renjun would only walk until he was in the water waist-deep and sing the most beautiful melodies of the sea. The sea was Renjun’s box, and he fits right in. </p><p>It’s something Jeno doesn’t understand, but he loves it. On the balcony of his home, he could see the wide expanse of shore and Renjun would always be there playing with drops of saltwater. He would only stare, sometimes only by his window and not by the balcony, then Renjun would look up with a soft smile. It doesn’t make Jeno smile back, but it’s enough to send his heart flying. </p><p>Although Jeno could not bring himself to love the sea, he loved seeing Renjun in them. And he only touches the shore because of that. </p><p>Sometimes, when his mom lets him, Jeno would abandon the view from the balcony in favor of seeing the beautiful sea boy closer. He’d perched on a rock, toes clad in slippers because it was mid-summer, as he avoided the tongues of the seawater trying to lick his feet and his legs. Wet feet meant more sand clinging onto him, and Jeno didn’t like that. His mom, too, won’t like it when he comes home with sand on his trail. It’ll ruin their carpets. </p><p>“Jeno.” </p><p>The called boy looks up. He sees Renjun clad in another wet set of shorts and a shirt, still that same beautiful smile on his lips. Renjun is a good two meters away but he acts like it’s further because of how much he waves his arm. Jeno thinks it’s funny, and he does laugh, before he carefully avoids the water and lands to the sand. Renjun watches as he walks closer, and closer, until Jeno could smell the salty sea on him. </p><p>“Hi,” Renjun greets him with an even wider smile. This time it shows his perfect teeth and makes the corners of his eyes crinkle. The electric blue eyes he has shines under the sun, and his now blue hair is softly dancing along with the breeze. That’s quite unfair, Renjun’s hair will never stick up all over his head no matter how much the wind blows it, unlike Jeno’s brown mop of hair. </p><p>“I came to see you,” Jeno says. He’s squinting with how much the clear and open sky lets in too much sunlight into the earth, just so he could see Renjun’s even warmer visage. Which reminds him: there’s almost nothing new about Renjun now, his milky skin is still the same and he still grew as much as Jeno did. Except his hair. It had been a shade of faded red when he last saw him (about two days ago, Jeno had a lot of homework. Another thing he envies about Renjun is that he didn’t need school, so he didn’t have homework), and now it was a very good shade of blue. Duller than the blue in his eyes, but it doesn’t make it less pretty. “You changed your hair.”</p><p>Renjun rolls his eyes with a tinkling laugh, “It changes on itself, Jeno.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Jeno nods, because he knows that, “I liked the red. Although the blue suits you just as much too.”</p><p>“Thank you.” Renjun runs his fingers on a few strands. The wind blows it away softly, and his hair has always been so soft that they seem to dance gracefully as if there are fairies in his scalp guiding each strand. “I think I had red as the longest color to stay.”</p><p>Jeno hums. Renjun begins to walk, and Jeno follows, he always follows. Renjun knew the beach better than Jeno ever could. They walk side by side but not shoulder to shoulder, since Renjun was still wet up to his chest. Jeno winces at the way his slippers would occasionally get deep into the sand and he feels the grainy texture of his foot, and beside him Renjun laughs. Renjun knew how to keep his distance, Renjun knew of Jeno preferring not to interact with the sea. </p><p>Renjun had asked about it one time. Jeno was barely twelve that time, and he wasn’t sure if Renjun was too, but Renjun<em> looked </em>like he was twelve as well. It wasn’t Jeno’s first time to go outside and talk to the mysterious boy he always sees loitering by the shore, the mysterious boy who had blue eyes and weird hair colors, but it was definitely one of the earlier times he started tolerating the beachfront. </p><p>“Jeno?” Renjun had asked by then. Jeno is sitting on an old, dry log, while Renjun was drawing patterns on the sand, “You said you didn’t like being outside. How come you come here to see me almost everyday?”</p><p>Jeno hadn’t pondered for an answer back then, because he didn’t have to because the answer came naturally out of his lips, “I don’t like being outside. But I like being with you, Renjun.”</p><p>The conversation had been short, but Jeno remembers it perfectly. Jeno remembers every conversation he has with Renjun. </p><p>Currently, both of them silently walk in step by the shore. Jeno could hear the seawater meeting the sand, the way sea foam bubbles and fizzles away, and the way Renjun is lowly humming a song Jeno doesn’t know. Maybe another one of his songs Jeno has never heard of anywhere but from him. Even under his breath, Renjun’s singing was sweet. His voice was as sweet and melodious as his speaking voice. Jeno thinks Renjun would sing lullabies and everyone would fall asleep at the third note. He wants to hear more of it. </p><p>“Sing it.” Jeno stops his tracks. Renjun’s humming gets cut off as he looks back at Jeno with an inquisitive gaze. His face reads like he didn’t understand, so Jeno swallows a lump and makes the request clearer and louder for anyone, not just him and Renjun, to hear, “Sing it. I want to hear it.”</p><p>Renjun’s lips fall open with a gasp, two of his front teeth showing between the small gap, before he smiles and nods. He begins to sing a few notes, and Jeno gets lost at the sounds all over again. It sounded like a peaceful place, like a heart so open, like it was something grand and special. And it seemed like the ocean was listening too, so as the wind, as they all stopped ringing in Jeno’s ear. All he could hear was Renjun’s voice, and although he didn’t understand nor figure out the language of the syllables dancing in notes, Jeno felt then squeezing his heart. The squeeze doesn’t keep him from breathing, the squeeze feels like another airway is opened and Jeno can freely, <em> freely </em>breathe like the breeze he doesn’t like on beaches. </p><p>Renjun is looking at him as he sings. Jeno feels his chest squeezing more. He couldn’t help himself from shutting his eyes closed as he drowned in Renjun’s voice, almost sounding so heavenly. Or was it almost? Jeno feels like he’s light and made of gas, because Renjun always made him feel like that about his singing. </p><p>Maybe it’s when Renjun is halfway into the song, maybe he’s nearing the end that he had stepped closer to Jeno. The latter could feel his presence closer than they had been, and sighs out. In relief or in comfort, Jeno doesn’t know, but he does know it’s because he feels elated and <em> happy. </em>It made him softly raise his eyelids.</p><p>He’s greeted by the sight of Renjun’s electric blue eyes directly on him. Usually opening your eyes felt like being back in reality, but Jeno just feels like he’s stepped into a new dream. A new dream of Renjun’s round and blue eyes, of Renjun’s perfect nose and the gold in his skin. Renjun is still singing and Jeno sighs again. This time, Jeno knows what for. Renjun has him feeling like a paper in the wind, easily carried out and easily caught. </p><p>He won’t ever blink, if it meant having this dream forever.</p><p>There’s warmth covering a part of his cheek, but Jeno doesn’t dare take any of his senses off of Renjun and lets it be forgotten. But it doesn’t stay forgotten, so maybe it had been Renjun’s palm holding his cheek. The sensation is so warm, just as warm as Renjun’s voice as he kept singing. Jeno couldn’t help but think if he’d opened his eyes for a dream indeed. </p><p>It was always like this every time Renjun sings. Jeno always lets it. </p><p>The notes get softer and softer by the second, and that’s how Jeno knows the song is coming to an end. </p><p>When the end comes, Renjun doesn’t break their eye contact and neither does Jeno. It had been Renjun’s hand holding Jeno’s cheek, and that too stays right where it is. Renjun is smiling at him, soft but still bright. The genuineness of it all seeps out of Renjun’s skin and into Jeno’s bones, staying there to be engraved forever. Jeno wouldn’t have it any other way. A thumb moves to caress his cheekbone. Jeno almost keels at the touch. </p><p>“How are you like this?” is what comes out of his mouth as small as a whisper.</p><p>Renjun’s smile grows bigger. No one pulls away, simply because no one wants to. “This what, Jeno?”</p><p>For the first time after he’d opened his eyes, Jeno blinked once. Renjun is still there in front of him, still has blue electric eyes and blue hair, and still has a hand on his cheek. “Like…this. So beautiful, so unreal and…not me.”</p><p>“Jeno.” Renjun chuckles and holds him closer. His wet shirt would start to seep through Jeno’s own sooner if they won’t pull away, but again, no one wants to. “I’m not because you are you, and I am me.” Renjun says it like it sounds final, “But I have a beating heart like yours,” his other hand goes over Jeno’s chest, right over his heart, “I can feel the heat and the cold just like how you could.”</p><p>“You’re not like me, Renjun.”</p><p>“I’m born with a purpose, and so are you.” Renjun says again, “Doesn’t that still make us the same?”</p><p>“Why won’t you tell me what you are?”</p><p>Renjun’s smile falters. Jeno feels the sensation of guilt chasing him, clawing on his chest. He never meant to upset Renjun, he could never intentionally upset Renjun. The way the boy had dropped his smile, the way those electric blue eyes shone with something else other than mirth, it all made Jeno clutch onto Renjun’s wet shirt, not even minding the saltwater from it damping the space between his fingers. “No, no, Renjun, I—”</p><p>“We live in the same world, Jeno,” Renjun searches through Jeno’s eyes. “Isn’t that more important over other things?”</p><p>There’s the sound of the sea crashing against shore in the background. Beneath his toes, Jeno’s sandals have gone deeper into the sand albeit his unconsciousness from it. The seagulls are squawking above their heads along with the angry rays of sun. It’s only then that Jeno realized he’d held Renjun so close to him that they’d been pressed together chest to chest. </p><p>If Renjun had a beating heart like his, could this wild pumping he feels under his skin be Renjun’s? Or was it Jeno’s? Or was it both of their heartbeats in a racing competition?</p><p>Jeno finds that whoever has the loudest heartbeat between them wasn’t an important matter. The important matter was them both, feeling warm with each other. And that they live in the same world.</p><p>He blinks once, then twice, and nods. Renjun was right, he was always right. As long as they live in the same world, yes. </p><p>Renjun is the one to break away, running back to the shore with a melodious giggle dripping from his lips and burning Jeno’s heart. Jeno watches the boy skip on sand with his arms spread wide, hair completely and gracefully blown by the wind, and as if there is sparkling dust following the every move of his fingertips. Like an angel. Or a fairy. </p><p>Their eyes meet when Renjun turns back, now a few feet away from him, and then he smiles at Jeno. It makes the sunrays pricking on his skin less harsh. The smile felt like a bandage over a gash of wound. Jeno smiles back. </p><p>■■■■■■</p><p>Jeno doesn’t go out everyday to see Renjun. He didn’t have to. Living by the sea had benefited him. By the balcony of his large home, the wide expanse of ocean blue was visible. Aside from the beautiful sunsets, they had an overlooking view of the shore, and that came with a view of Renjun’s form playing with the water. It was all Jeno needed, even though it was seeing the boy through glass windows. Aside from he wasn’t a big fan of the outdoors, Jeno knew how much Renjun liked being alone in his own element. So even if he could just go out there and spend time with him, Jeno wanted Renjun to be happy with just himself too. </p><p>When Jeno arrives at home from school—which was located near the town, away from the ocean—he’d get his work done and sit on the balcony’s floor with his legs dangling at the edge. Then he’d search for Renjun with his eyes, and then he’d find the boy with blue hair and blue orbs walking along the shoreline, light on his steps just as usual. </p><p>Sometimes he’d find Renjun sitting by a rock, sometimes the boy would be lying on his back in the sand despite the unforgiving sunlight. Sometimes Jeno would find Renjun playing with the water, and sometimes Renjun would just stay sitting by the spot where the waves crash onto the shore. </p><p>Jeno’s favorite would probably be the times Renjun would laugh so loud that he could hear it from where he had perched himself on. Renjun would laugh like that when he dances on the shore, saltwater licking on his feet teasingly. The boy would skip from toe to toe, twirl in a majestic circle with his arms flailed, and then his hair would bounce and shine while his eyes closed but mouth open in a glorious laugh. Renjun would jump some more and twirl some more until he ends up rolling on the wet sand with a louder laugh. </p><p>Renjun was always by the shore, day and night. Everyday, without fail. </p><p>Jeno would always check on the boy at night when it’s cold, but he’d always find Renjun waist-deep into the water. Renjun still glows, even at night, and so it never came hard to Jeno in spotting the boy. The sea always was at its calmest at night. And in his dreams at night, it was always him and Renjun laughing together, the sound of their laughs accompanied by the waves of water against shore. </p><p>Tonight, though, Jeno doesn’t see Renjun no matter how much he looks for him through the balcony. </p><p>The first two minutes of not finding Renjun by the shore sent a flurry of worry in his gut, and by the next ten minutes that he waited for Renjun to show up, he’s close to panicking. Renjun was always at the beach, day and night, what made it different today? So Jeno ditched his unfinished homework and decided to sneak out of his house to run to where the sun was close to setting, covering the sky with hues of yellows and oranges (just like Renjun’s hair a couple of years ago). </p><p>Jeno dashes into a sprint when he closes their front gate, heart hammering against his chest, and blood thrumming below his skin. Was it excitement? Or was this the panic he had been expecting? Nevertheless, Jeno doesn’t slow down, and it doesn’t take him long enough to reach the shore. Of course, Renjun still was nowhere to be found. His stomach drops again.</p><p>The orange of the sunset is blinding, with how much he had gone closer to its rays, and Jeno squints through it in hopes to find a familiar figure. Panting, Jeno takes long strides in roaming the shoreline, widens his sight in case Renjun had been swimming in the water again. All to no avail. Renjun wasn’t there. Or he was, Jeno just couldn’t find him.</p><p>Eventually, Jeno hears him first before finding him.</p><p>The worry gets flushed down when he hears the familiar tinkling laugh—there was no way he could be mistaken. Jeno finds Renjun behind the cliff at the far end of the beach, floating like a lost twig in the ocean. The boy has company; sitting on a rock near Renjun’s feet was a red-haired creature, skin tanned and flaky. Jeno’s eyes bulge when he spots the long and beautiful tail swishing saltwater droplets on Renjun’s face as it shone under the golden sunset. </p><p>Jeno’s sandals dig deeper in the sand when he comes to a slow halt. The sight is alarming; he could feel his heart hammering against his chest, his fists begin to clench and unclench not knowing what to do, the waves start to get louder in his ears. Because it looked like Renjun was having a great time with this…friend. Renjun’s laugh sounds more boisterous now that he’s nearer, and he didn’t seem bothered. Was this a normal occurrence? </p><p>Although Jeno could not quite believe what he’s seeing, he still managed to croak out in a small voice. It was almost comical that Renjun—and the redhead—could hear, “Renjun.”</p><p>The call of Renjun’s name made the boy shift from his floating position, now that he’s completely aware of Jeno’s presence and the underlying worry for his safety under those eyes. But Jeno’s reassurance comes in the form of Renjun’s face lighting up in more happiness, and begins to swim towards shore. Just to meet him, face to face, this time. </p><p>“Jeno.” It took some time before Renjun was finally standing in front of him, the same shirt and shorts drenched in saltwater, blue hair sticking to his scalp, dripping wet. “You’re here.”</p><p>The sunset should be ashamed, because they’d never win against the smile Renjun had given Jeno. </p><p>Electric blue eyes met his, and finally, Jeno released the breath he had been holding on for what seemed like since he’d left his house. His fingers circle around both of the boy’s much skinnier wrists, “Are you okay?” </p><p>Renjun’s eyebrows knit together for a moment, but they straighten out almost immediately, “Of course I am. Did you think something might have happened?”</p><p>Jeno doesn’t respond. He turns away to check on the creature that had accompanied Renjun finding them still perched on the rock, tail still long and beautiful and shiny as the end played with the surface water. Renjun might have sensed his restlessness, because he tugs on Jeno’s arm and says softly, “He’s my friend, Jeno. We were playing.”</p><p>Guilt makes Jeno tense his shoulders to his ears. He had worried over nothing, and even ruined Renjun’s time with a friend. It makes Jeno guilty, but Renjun only looks at him with his familiar giddy smile making an appearance again. “You should meet him.”</p><p>“I—” Jeno fumbles with his words. He had always thought Renjun only has Jeno as his friend, but the thought of the boy having other friends doesn’t make him feel petty. Instead, it makes Jeno nervous, because he never had anyone else but Renjun. “I should?”</p><p>“Yes! He’s a very nice and funny siren, one of the creatures I look after. He glows when he sings, and it’s so beautiful.”</p><p>Jeno was unsure if he wanted to meet another being that wasn’t close to human, knowing Renjun had been more than enough for him, but the excitement in Renjun’s eyes made them look more intense than the original electric blue. No one could turn down someone like Renjun, especially not Jeno. So he gulps his uncertainty, and nods. </p><p>He really didn’t want to go in the water. That was an established—despite being unspoken—rule between them, Renjun could play and swim all he wanted and Jeno would stay enjoying watching him do so. But, not that it was a rare situation, Jeno lets Renjun lead him to the wet sand, until he’s ankle-deep in the water and he could now feel the coldness of it all. </p><p>Somehow, Renjun’s wet hand clutched in his seemed to be warmer. </p><p>Jeno finds out that the spot where Renjun had been earlier, near the rock, was only waist-length deep, and that the siren’s tail is much more beautiful up close. The scales made it shine and it was a pretty green in color, the sunset made it appear golden from afar. When Jeno had faced him, Renjun’s friend, he smiles with a good row of teeth showing. It comes contagious, and Jeno couldn’t help himself from returning it with a smaller and shyer one. </p><p>“Donghyuck,” Renjun gestures towards the siren, who waves a webbed hand at Jeno, “and this is Jeno. He’s human. And very nice.”</p><p>“I see.” Donghyuck’s voice is sweet, Jeno would call it unique and would remember it for being a nice tone. </p><p>“Hi.” Jeno awkwardly greets back. </p><p>Donghyuck turns to Renjun, “Well, I’ve got to go back now.” Renjun nods, and he turns to Jeno, “I’d let you see me glow while I sing, but maybe next time?”</p><p>“Yes. Sure.” Jeno nods. </p><p>With a final wave from Renjun, Donghyuck easily jumps off the rock and into the water. His tail slaps the surface once for the last time until he’s swimming away, probably deeper into the ocean Jeno knows nothing about. </p><p>Jeno blinks, “So they <em> are </em>real.”</p><p>Beside him, Renjun softly chuckles, “Of course. A lot of things are real, Jeno.”</p><p><em> Just like you </em>, Jeno’s mind supplies. He visibly nods, both to Renjun and the voice in his head. </p><p>Renjun goes back to playing with the water softly crashing on their bodies, giggling as he does. Jeno frowns when he feels the cold water, and the breeze messing up with his hair. It would be a hassle to dry himself now, since the hot sun rays weren’t there anymore, and his sandals were soaked now. Too late to complain though, and it’s not as if he could, because Renjun looks too delighted for Jeno to complain. </p><p>“Renjun,” Still, Jeno whines, “it’s cold. I’m going.”</p><p>“What?” Renjun huffs out in between his laughs, “Do you know how to swim, Jeno?”</p><p>“Well, yes but—”</p><p>“Then swim with me?”</p><p>“Renjun—”</p><p>“I’ll get you dry after? I promise.” The way Renjun reassures him instantly catches Jeno, like a hungry prey catches on a bait of his predator. He sighs in defeat before rolling his eyes with an affirmation dropping from his tongue. Renjun makes a little celebratory dance, and the water seems like it dances with him, “The ocean likes you. It’s always calm whenever you go here to see me.”</p><p>Jeno tilts his head to the side in wonder. After years of being Renjun’s friend, he had learned to love the way Renjun speaks as if the ocean was just like them. As if the ocean could smile and tell him things, as if it was a friend too. Initially, he found it a little weird, but the more he listened to Renjun and his stories, it all became beautiful to hear. Though that does not take away the wonder and curiosity he has. He’d always known Renjun was beautifully different, and that the boy was someone less than a supernatural but more than a human, but Jeno still has questions. Specifically, he doesn’t know what kind of questions, just that he knows he still has a lot to learn. </p><p>The intrigue and enigma in Renjun makes him more significant to Jeno. To keep him close until and after he already discovered every little corner in Renjun. </p><p>“Is it?” Jeno shoots back. Now that he’s noticed, the breeze seems to soften, and the water plays around his waist. </p><p>Renjun’s hand caresses the surface of it with a smile, “It is. Sometimes it tells me when you’re near, sometimes it tells me when you’re watching us.” </p><p>At this, Jeno could only stare at Renjun’s glowing form. It’s the first time Renjun had told him this, and it felt light on his chest. </p><p>“How do you know?”</p><p>From a couple of steps away, Renjun looks up at him. Jeno blinks, then Renjun had already shifted closer to him. Jeno couldn’t take his eyes away from him, Renjun’s blue locks still graceful as the wind falsely messes it up, his eyes that are intense in color but always looked at him softly, the wet but warm hands that crawls up to cup Jeno’s ears just enough for the waves to echo and fill his hearing senses, the graze of an everlasting smile painted on his mouth. </p><p>“It whispers, Jeno. Listen closely, and you’ll hear how much it does.”</p><p>Jeno could only hear his steady heartbeat. </p><p>Renjun keeps his palms cupped over both of Jeno’s ears, closed his eyes wistfully, and rested his head on Jeno’s broad shoulder. Just like the other times, he smelled like the sea—or maybe Jeno had mistaken it, and that he didn’t smell like anything after all, since they were always at the beach.</p><p>Jeno doesn’t know what <em> whisper </em>Renjun is trying to make him hear, but Jeno does know that he’s comfortable like this. And that he wishes Renjun won’t let go too fast. Or else he’d lose himself in the process. </p><p>■■■■■■</p><p>“And there’s Chenle,” Renjun beams at him, “Donghyuck’s other friend. He likes being underwater most of the time, so Donghyuck always annoys him to join us under the sun.”</p><p>Jeno smiles. After that meeting with Donghyuck, he always encouraged Renjun to tell him more, whether it was about the siren and their other friends or simply anything Renjun wanted to tell him. Their talks were usually just Renjun telling him things, like the birds he fed with seeds when they visited him, or the beautiful shell the ocean showed him and now, Donghyuck and his other friends. It was comfortable like that, Jeno felt like he was peeling off another layer of an onion, except that it doesn’t make him tear up.</p><p>Currently, they’re walking along the shoreline. There’s the familiar breeze, and the sound of the ocean. Renjun still has blue hair and eyes, and his shirt is still wet with saltwater up to his chest. The summer sun is still up and brighter here. Renjun skips beside him, still going on about another siren named Chenle—he tells him that they’ve all heard about Jeno. Jeno listens to his voice attentively. </p><p>Renjun’s speaking voice sounded like he was singing, and along with the summer ocean, it sounds like an orchestra Jeno is willing to pay just so he could hear them play. It’s always nice like this. </p><p>“Tell me a story,” Renjun stops walking to sit on the sand, pulling Jeno along to do the same beside him, “How are you these past few days, Jeno?”</p><p>Jeno takes off his sandals so that he could sit on them instead, and winces when his bare toes touch the hot sand. There’s not much to his past few days, they had been normal to him. He slept and woke up, had nice meals with his family, went to school, checked up on Renjun through the balcony. The other day, he had a lazy weekend, so he spent the whole afternoon in bed, and the whole evening reading a book while munching on his mother’s cookies. He told Renjun these. The boy listened and nodded to his narration all throughout, and although Jeno wasn’t big on story-telling, it encouraged Jeno to speak more than three sentences in one go. </p><p>“School is still fine, as always,” Jeno says, “Summer classes usually suck, but this year surprisingly, I’m having fun.” With one last smile directed at Renjun, Jeno finishes off.</p><p>Renjun grins at him giddily, “It does sound fun.”</p><p>“Does it?” </p><p>“Yes. You said it, you're having fun, so it really must be.”</p><p>Jeno chuckled. He couldn’t help himself, so he reached up to ruffle Renjun’s blue locks. Expectedly, they’re soft between his fingers. “This is unfair, how is your hair not tangled when the wind blows on it every time?”</p><p>“I don’t know either, but I like it. Feels light on my head.” Renjun places his smaller and more delicate hand on top of Jeno’s, but he doesn’t stop him from petting his hair, “How is your hair always tangled?”</p><p>Jeno laughs, “Maybe I should take better care for it.”</p><p>“Or else you’d end up looking like a turtle.”</p><p>“A turtle?!”</p><p>“Yes, Jeno. They don’t have hair.”</p><p>“Hmm, they’re <em> bald </em>.”</p><p>“Yes, bald.”</p><p>Jeno laughs again, “How do you know I’m right? That the term is ‘bald’?”</p><p>Renjun scoots closer to rest his head on Jeno’s shoulder. That was becoming a habit now, but Jeno doesn’t find it bothering. He liked having Renjun’s head there, it added to the warmth. “You’re always right, Jeno.”</p><p>Jeno tilts his head, his face full of blue strands, “Am I?” He doesn’t know if he’s always right. To him, it was Renjun who was always right. Renjun always knew Jeno was feeling sad and lonely, always knew Jeno’s questions about the sea. </p><p>Renjun nuzzles closer, “Yes.”</p><p>Jeno pressed his cheek on Renjun’s head. The breeze was still making Renjun’s hair tickle his skin, but nothing was as comfortable as this now. With the afternoon sun glazing their skin yellow as it was close to sunset, Jeno finds himself pulling the boy closer. Along with it, he intertwines their fingers.</p><p>They fall in the beauty of silence, the waves become softer against the shore, and the breeze comes to a slower blow. Maybe this was the ocean whispering something, Jeno thinks. He closed his eyes, hoping he could hear the whisper Renjun had told him about, but again, he could only hear his heartbeat. And Renjun’s steady breathing by his neck. </p><p>“What’s beyond the horizon, Renjun?” The question was one of those Jeno chose to bury deep in his mind. He knew that when he asked, many things would unfold by then. But now, he couldn’t help it. Renjun was closer to him now more than ever. </p><p>The answer comes a beat late, but Jeno hears it amidst his approaching drowsiness, “I don’t know, Jeno. But I know there is life there.”</p><p>Renjun must have immediately sensed the way Jeno was struggling to stay awake, because he shifted them both. Jeno lets himself be led to lie on Renjun’s lap, lets his cheek press against the fabric of his now damp shorts. His legs outstretched themselves to a more comfortable position, his hands curled against his chest. He feels Renjun’s light fingers caress his hair and it makes him even drowsier, the lull of sleep half occupying his mind. </p><p>It’s peaceful. Jeno wonders if he could take a nap just as peaceful as this, but there was no other way to know that other than doing so. </p><p>For the last time, when he’s finally giving in, Jeno flutters his eyelids open, meeting Renjun’s blue electric eyes despite the haziness of his sight. The boy’s face is casted with light, blue hair forming a halo around his head, that permanent smile on his lips making him glow even more beautifully. The nails that lightly scraped on his scalp made Jeno shut his eyes close. </p><p>With so little consciousness left in him, Jeno mumbles a last question, “What truly are you?”</p><p>And with the last of his consciousness, he had felt warmth and softness pressed against a spot on his forehead along with a puff of warm breath ghosting over it. The kiss is light, he registers that much, and that Renjun had answered him just as lightly, lips against warm skin, “I love you. That’s how you will know me.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>yes, i wrote this weeks ago at 3am. i wrote this high on caffeine at 3 am. i am sorry. gsadjha i just had to post this before starting on a bigger project soooo tell me what you think :o</p><p>also!!! here's my new <a href="https://twitter.com/reonjeolmis">twitter</a> acc where i talk abt writing ;-; u can talk to me there &lt;3 i made a very VERY short trailer for this (posted on twt) btw gjdgsdg</p><p>tysm for reading! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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